CONTROLS Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

controls 1 of 2

noun

plural of control

as in controllers

a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system the controls for the player are well marked

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as in hands

the ability to direct the course of something after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze

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as in operations

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas

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as in powers

the right or means to command or control others teachers are responsible for the students under their control

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controls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of control

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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as in contains

to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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as in operates

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of controls

Noun

Their achievement followed years of experimentation with gliders, propellers, and flight controls. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026 Russia imposed temporary export controls on helium in April to protect its domestic supply. — Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026 There are full-size Backspace, Delete, and arrow keys, in addition to a number pad and a separate row of volume controls. — Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 Volkswagen has made welcome progress by restoring physical steering-wheel controls and adding a center-console dial that handles functions like volume and drive modes. — New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026 Security was also heightened in Rome, where authorities locked down luxury shopping streets and stepped up controls around the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 China is considering export controls that could check the global spread of its AI models and chips, as Beijing increases oversight of its burgeoning tech sector. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Under State Department policy, the country is subject to an arms embargo and export controls on purchases for the police. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 Depending on your Galaxy model and Gallery version, the exact location of the tagging controls may vary. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Verb

Six in 10 families can’t afford the basic cost of living in the battleground districts that will determine which party controls the House, a Washington Post analysis has found. — Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 Although Chen Mechan is accused of firing on the Salvadoran’s vehicles, sources said its heavily armed men received backup from Joseph’s 400 Mawozo, which controls the neighboring territory. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026 In societies where the state controls schools, businesses, property, and speech, even small acts of refusal matter. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 Leaders, therefore, need clarity about who owns the technology and data, who controls access, who monitors risk and who has authority to make consequential decisions. — Chandini Sheeba, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026 In her latest book, Harvard historian Jill Lepore argues that Big Tech now controls the United States—and, by extension, the entire planet. — Nina Verdelli, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026 Three Houthi officials said the rebel group controls roughly 80% of the countryside surrounding Taiz and several key neighborhoods inside the city. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 But the remaining controls are customizable, with options to adjust the left and right earbud controls independently. — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 Billboard first reported that Authentic Brands Group, the licensing group that controls the King’s music and likeness, filed its lawsuit Friday, alleges that Anthropic — the AI giant behind Claude — infringed on the rights of 274 of Presley’s songs. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls

Noun

The team plans to investigate additional vulnerabilities involving robot controllers and perception systems, including situations that could cause legged robots to fall.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Japanese flight controllers want to avoid powdery soil and rough terrain when the mothership, a four-legged stationary lander, descends to the surface to gather samples in late 2028 or 2029.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of controllers

Noun

The video shows four deputies running after Garza along Interstate 10 in Palm Springs, with Garza facing the deputies several times while holding an object in his hands.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Alaska’s bid for statehood, in the late nineteen-fifties, was in part a matter of keeping the hands of Seattle businessmen off local salmon stocks.

— Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of hands

Noun

Serving as president since 2024—just months after the team was first created—Smith has helped build the franchise from the ground up, overseeing everything from its business operations to the fan experience.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Rescue operations were complicated, with police firing tear gas at people who had begun looting neighboring shops, as officers sought to clear the area and provide access to emergency response teams.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of operations

Noun

DeepSeek's products for federal civilian agencies, highlighting friction in the two AI powers’ heated technology race.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
Solving the problem on the international level would be difficult, as international bodies have no powers to enforce compliance.

— Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of powers

Verb

Doctors point to how the body regulates its own temperature at night, and how a cozy pair of socks can nudge that process along.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Every few years, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, which regulates the sport, makes the teams redesign their cars.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of regulates

Verb

This floor also contains a guest bedroom and bathroom, staff quarters, laundry and a security room.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
This spice contains plant compounds called gingerols and shogaols, which help lower the level of inflammatory proteins in the body and block inflammation from occurring.

— Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of contains

Verb

The Chiefs challenged a catch by the Chargers’ Oronde Gadsden in the fourth quarter that CBS Sports rules analyst Gene Steratore said was out of bounds.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
For example, if the court rules that religious organizations have a constitutional right to opt out of state antidiscrimination rules while receiving public funds, that principle may not stop at LGBTQ+ rights.

— Preston Green III, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of rules

Verb

The company says its sodium-ion platform operates with passive cooling, eliminating the need for those systems.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Technically not in Lofoten, but well worth extending your trip for, Kvitnes Gard is a historic estate in Hadsel, Vesterålen, that operates as a 15-room farm hotel.

— Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026